Pest control companies try to keep up with uptick in rodent calls
PRIOR LAKE, Minn. — An unwelcome guest is seeking shelter as temperatures begin to drop. Mice are on the move.
"I've been doing this for 20 years and I've never seen anything like it," said Beau Geer, Xtreme Pest Solutions owner.
Geer says he's shocked by the uptick in mice calls.
"The influx is because there's higher populations due to the warmer weather," said Geer.
His team is responding to 50% more rodent calls than this time last year. Geer said he had to hire another staff member just to keep up with the calls for service.
Now, that temps are going back down a bit, mice are heading inside for warmth and food.
Tristan Spring works with Geer and says he's been on six calls Friday to trap mice. He said typically it's garage sweeps and cracks in the foundation that mice chew on to get inside homes.
"All it takes is a quarter inch for a mouse to get through," Spring stated. That's the circumference of your pinky.
So, to keep the rodents at bay, homeowners' first line of defense is prevention.
"Preventive rodent control is being maintained with bait solutions and making sure those entry points are sealed," Geer said.
Business is not only booming for pest control companies but hardware stores like Tractor Supply Company are having a hard time keeping certain mouse traps on the shelves.
Jacob Dion said he's not shocked by the lack of traps because he's seeing more customers coming in asking for them. Right now, he said what they have is on the shelves and they are expecting a shipment Tuesday.
Geer said sealing cracks is a great way to ensure unwanted visitors don't get inside your home. The pest company also recommends not keeping wood piles or scraps of food close to your home.